Fitting In
by PONITAPG
Summary: You can't always be tough and strong. Artemis is passing through many changes,moving to a new school,leaving behind her old friends,and the abandonement of her sister. Can she cope with her insecure personality and manage to keep her boyfriend Wally.


AN: WARNING: I PUT THIS ALL CAPS 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU READERS SKIP THIS PART, ITS OK I DO TOO, BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW THIS IS AU! THERE ARE NO HERO IDENTITY INVOLVED JUST CHARACTER EXPLORATION ;) NOW READ AND ENJOY

Psdt- to people who do read author notes you rock :P there's a reason why authors write these.

Fitting In

Artemis opened her eyes groggily to stare at the old, dusty Alice in Wonderland Poster above her sister's unused bed. The soft, cold sheets covering her smelled like woods to her as she recalled the last time she saw her sister. The room looked dark as her vision continued and she remembered the feeling of emptiness and loneliness as she stared at the wall. She didn't want to wake up to attend to her new school, to her new friends; she didn't like having to start over, to try to fit in.

Her mom, her dad and her teachers always expected the best of her. Pushed her beyond her limits, made her want to be perfect. Her sister now appeared wise, if she thought through the reason she left was because she didn't want that, she wanted to break free of every society bond of every forced ideal and principle they had to hold on to. Artemis missed her sister though and deep inside wanted to find her.

The blonde girl resting on the bed heard the screeching of wheels outside her bedroom. Her mother, Paula, appeared behind it, strict as she always was and demanded for her to get ready to go to her new school.

Artemis raised her lithe form unwillingly and started walking to the bathroom. Once she washed clean her body she walked slowly to her closet eyeing disdainfully the tiny clothes inside it. She wasn't into mini pleated skirts and tight, transparent white shirts. Luckily they wore a navy blue fabric jacket. She took her time to comb her long tangled yellow hair and tied it into a clean pony tail.

She had her shoes on and silently wished they could admit boots to this school. She loved combat boots the most. They were all-terrain, strong, could get muddy but still kept your feet warm and safe. They were perfect. But she was stuck with weak middle heeled shoes that left her feet unprotected.

As she slipped the hated skirt on she noticed the clock said seven thirty. She was late now. Hurriedly she buttoned the dress shirt and slid her jacket as she ran to the door. When she was downstairs she almost knocked down Paula's wheelchair but luckily her mother stepped aside to give her beloved daughter a blessing and kiss her goodbye. Artemis was about to leave again when her mom yelled that she had forgotten her tie. Paula was strict when it came to school, and stopped the hurricane the girl was producing as she went by to check if she was wearing everything properly. Apparently she had no tie, her shirt was not tucked in, and her nails were painted dark blue. After all nothing could pass by the eagle eyed Paula Crock.

Yes, Artemis had left it on purpose. It was bad enough girls didn't use pants, but a tie? She snatched it from her mother's hand and ran to the bus stop barely getting on time. Looking at her ruffled uniform she tried to straighten her skirt and inch it so it could at least cover her thighs. She sat on the last row in the bus. 'I bet the kids in this school don't use the public bus' the blonde beauty thought bitterly recalling her old friends she had left.

The bus left her near the school though she still had to walk a few blocks. Limousines, and Ferraris passed by. She couldn't help but wonder which cocky rich prick was inside. She could tolerate them, but she didn't want to change to adapt in this new social elite. The black gates of the school were wide open. She admired the architectural masterpiece as she walked eyes wide open and searching.

A small group of girls giggled and whispered as one of the seniors passed by. Tough looking boys had their arms slung on some cheerleader. There were nerds and other groups of boys and girls talking casually. Even if it looked like a normal school she knew all of them were snobs, interested in succeeding, trying to be popular, or simply outcast. She laughed silently because her boyfriend would say she would be in the punk bad girl group.

They hadn't officially said it but they did the dating and kissing so she had hope he wanted that. After all he was ridiculously her closest friend even if she was mean when she met him. He was her old school's friend. He hadn't greeted her warmly those times but after the saving him countless times, the meeting in the janitor's closet and the last dance they shared they had grown close.

When she gave him the news of her transferring to Gotham Academy he panicked getting red and begging for her to stay. That wasn't her decision she had more important things, like pleasing her mom, making her father proud, finding her sister. After several days he had gone by giving her the silent treatment he finally broke up. He told her he couldn't be separated from her so he would keep stalking her. To this she laughed happy he didn't want to end their relationship.

Then he told her she was unique and to never change no matter what. She didn't respond to his last words. She hadn't promised that because she was unsure. All her life she wanted to have a happy family making herself strong and tough to support the reality she had. But he gave her hope in some kind of ridiculous way.

She found herself in the middle of the small groups of students. Artemis felt like she was in another planet. She didn't know anyone and wasn't going to go talk to some stranger From behind a girl approached her. She looked friendly and leader-like. Her soft blonde curls were freely adorning her oval shaped visage. Not a hair looked out of her simple but neat hairdo. She walked smoothly towards her as if enjoying the uniform.

"Artemis I'm Bette, your new student liaison" She said formally. Artemis felt like she was in another planet. She didn't know anyone and wasn't going to go talk to some stranger. She suddenly felt nervous and quickly answered "Hi I'm Artemis… but you knew that"

She thought she would blush but then she felt an arm snaking on her shoulders. "We'll laugh about this someday" She heard a voice then some blinding light accompanied by a click. The blue eyed girl glanced to see who was that but was met with air. No one was there. She was confused now. She didn't want a creep running around stalking her and taking pictures of her on her first day of school.

Bette simply ignored the scene and guided Artemis to a group of students. Some were wearing black vests others the customary blue navy jacket and some were simply rebels, transforming their uniforms to their own style.

Artemis smiled politely to the guys grins. Bette seemed to be very popular, she merely introduced Artemis then Beth had a situation to handle because apparently there was a problem at the newspaper club inscriptions.

Artemis hadn't felt this awkward since the time she and her boyfriend met. Though that time there had been fire, spark, chemistry and they couldn't help but fight. With the new kids she just felt ashamed. The feeling of wanting to be accepted came in again. She had to survive high school and the little family left back at home.

A boy with pale blonde hair and crystalline blue eyes approached her. He was walking coolly, winking at the giggling girls. She noticed he was wearing no jacket, just the white dress shirt which was rolled up to his elbows. He wore two chains and several black wrist bands. When he got close she could see he had some piercings too.

The uncomfortable air rustled her tied hair. It felt cold too. She begged he wasn't going to talk to her or get near her but apparently she was wrong. The guy was staring directly at her. She felt her body freeze when he came too close to her personal space to whisper "You know I kinda got a thing for blondes" Artemis narrowed her eyes and regaining her composure and body movement she got away from him. He grabbed her by the upper arm turning her to him. "Hey, no need to be defensive I just want to be friendly." He grinned looking into her eyes as if challenging her.

Both of them were oblivious to the multiple eyes watching the most popular bad boy flirt with the new girl. She shook her arm away replying "It's ok I'm new at school I don't know much …but you knew that" the last part she added quickly reminding not to permit herself be nervous in front of a dangerous boy. He looked at her suspiciously before returning to his predatory grin "You know I think you remind me of someone" he said trying to take her hand.

At that moment the bell rang. 'Saved by the bell cliché much' she thought as she took the chance to slip away fast. The day went by in slow motion for the new girl. She had Geometry at the first hour; she barely paid attention to the boring class, besides the teacher was just doing the basic introductions and stuff. At the moment she couldn't concentrate, so she let her mind take her to different places but here; her old school, with her incredibly hot and obnoxious redheaded boy. The teacher then began the real class. She noticed a smaller boy sitting in the front seats.

He had deep black hair, well combed and snowy white skin. From her view at the back that was all she could see. But what was a freshman doing in a sophomore class? Did he get loss? She pushed the thoughts away when they had to make an assignment at the moment.

The second period she shared it with the same punk boy from the morning. She sat at the back like always and slumped her body on the chair intending to sleep. From her book bag she searched for a small gum chewing modestly as she tuned out. It was impossible though since a pair of eyes were glued at her. She prayed this day finished earlier.

At lunch was the peak of her confusion and teenage peer pressure. She didn't knew where to sit since she hadn't made any friends per say. She was planning to go somewhere quiet and nature full, maybe sit and eat peacefully below the shadow of one of the trees she saw at the entrance.

She was stopped by Bette who waved at her to sit with her friends. "You're my responsibility Artemis; I can't let you go around alone being new." She smiled. Some of the faces she recognized as the ones Bette had presented earlier. There were two new ones though. Chewing a red apple was a chick that had fluorescent pink highlights. Next to her sat a dark haired girl, she had a book in her hands and seemed concentrated on it instead on the pink haired girl who tried to snatch the fries in her tray.

She sat in front of the black haired girl intending on eating her sandwich silently. But the female in front of her opened her mouth to greet her warmly. "Hi I'm Zatanna but you can call me Zee" then she waited for the pink haired girl to introduce herself. Seeing as she didn't Zatanna presented her instead "…And she's …" she was cut short by the girl who spoke "Call me Jinx" and with that she fell silent. Both girls looked tough and strong minded, just the type of persons Artemis would hang out with she could fit in.

Lunch ended and she was getting closer to finally end the day. Inside, Artemis couldn't help but feeling nostalgic though it had been a regular first day. When the moment finally came she rushed to the gates arriving first. Leaning on one of the columns at the entrance was a boy about sixteen years old, tall, redheaded and fit. He was standing lazily but Artemis knew he was snoozing.

She knew her lips couldn't form a bigger smile like she had right now. Sneaking to where the guy was resting, she carefully moved so that she was beside him but with mobility enough to poke both of his ribs.

"WOAh!" he yelled frightened jumping like if they had thrown water at a dog. Artemis started laughing at him loudly. He frowned pushing her making her stumble. "Come on it was as if you were asking for it" she said smugly barely regaining her breathe after laughing so hard. His frown then morphed into a smirk. He grabbed her by the waist carrying her bride style. "Well then, now you owe me"

She scoffed but let him take her to a motorcycle parked near some trees. "I'm not getting on that" the blonde said squirming out of his grip. He was still smirking. Her eyes widened in realization. "Y-you did it on purpose… you…you" she had no words to how mad she was. Her cheeks were tinted with a cute pink color and her skirt was a little high from the hold he had had. Pinching at the ends of her skirt she glared at him. He was the one to laugh now "Aw come on it's not that bad, besides you're my girlfriend it's ok" She was now red at his indirect proposition and was about to slap him but he predicted it and dogged pulling her to sit on the bike.

He mounted the motorcycle and she followed him, but decided not to hug him for being a jerk. She held to the tubes behind the bike. He waited for her embrace which never came. The redheaded chuckled before starting the motor, wheels screeching from speed as he drove.

He took her to an ice cream shop near their old school. He chose chocolate ice cream and she chose a vanilla smoothie. His ice cream was quickly inhaled while she was still giving her drink the first slurp. Artemis was sitting in one of the small booths, her smoothie forgotten, melting in the plastic table as she appreciated the boy carefully.

He was paying at the cashier. His grin looked flirty but his eyes told it was just his nature. She loved his eyes, big, sparkling green her favorite color. He had a good looking athletic body since he was in the track team. He came back sitting beside her to keep her close.

She raised one eyebrow when he rested his arm comfortably on her shoulders. His eyes held a glint of mischief as they occasionally glanced at her bare thighs. She pushed him away reprimanding him. "Wally! Ugh I knew you were a pervert but really?" He just chuckled. "I had never ever seen you in a skirt sorry for not hiding my opinions."

She couldn't be angry at Wally, that's who he was just goofy and ridiculous. Then she remembered all the time she wouldn't be able to see that. She was going to be away from him now. Just small dates like this one never worked. Long distance relationships never did.

He saw her worry completely understanding the cause. She tried too hard to please everyone even herself. He looked at his napkin fiddling with it; she played with her straw as an awkward silence fell. It was unusual for them but there had to be a first time. Finally he broke it "Why did you leave?"

He hit on the nail. "I don't want to talk about that" she replied glaring at the window beside them. He simply lowered his gaze. Then she felt her hand being held by a bigger and warmer one. He looked into her eyes as he said "Why are you trying so hard to fit in when you were born to stand out" They stared at each other for a couple of minutes.

Her heart fluttered in her chest as he whispered that to her. The blonde couldn't resist his cheesiness and inching closer she kissed him soundly. He responded immediately moving his slips slowly with hers. She missed this so much. He was hyperactive, impulsive and impatient so this was new, how he was managing to give her such a passionate kiss.

She cupped his cheek with one of her hands loving how smooth he kissed her. Then her cell phone rang. She gasped surprised and remembered her mother was waiting for her. He looked disappointed for a second before composing himself. He grabbed her bag and dropping it on his shoulder as they walked to his motorcycle.


End file.
